Stitchdown shoe and method of making



Oct. 16, 1928. 1,687,529l

P. W. VALENTINE STITCHDOWN SHOE AND METHOD OF MAKING Filed March 2, 1927 `features in which the Parental oa. 16,1928.

nner w. VALENTINE, or aannames, MAssAcHUsnr'rs. Y

-SIITCBDOWN SHOE AND METHOD 0F MAKING. l

Application led March 2, 1927. Serial No. 172,150.

The present invention relates to shoe making and has particular reference to the class of shoes known as stitchdown, that is, shoes in which the bottom edges of the upper leather, or equivalent integument, (whether actually made of leather or some other material),- ar'e turned outward and stitched to the sole. It is particularly applicable to shoes in which the upper contains a. lining. Asso used, the object of the invention is to provide for the benefit of the art a method according to which the lining may be turned inward at its lower edge and secured to the innersole, or to both the innersole and a' middle sole or doubler, while the upper leather is turned outward at its lower edge and independently secured to the middle sole or doubler. A further object is to build shoes ofv ,this class in such a manner that repairs maybe effected ater the outer sole has been worn out, by substituting a new outer sole, without risking loss of its previous shape by the upper or requiring the shoe to be relasted in order to restore its proper shape.. Still another object is to provide a shoe of the stitchdown type having an arch support.

'The manner in which these and other objects are accomplished and the new steps and resent invention consists are explained in etail in the following specification with reference to the drawings.

In the drawings,- 1

Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are cross sectional views of a last and the parts of the shoe thereon illustrating successlve steps in the performance of the method, and the construction of the iinished shoe, the product of such method, em-

bogying Lthe present invention ig. 5 is a cross section of a connected innersole and middle sole or doubler containin a modified construction of middle sole; ig. 6 is a longitudinal sectionv of a shoe constructed according to this invention and containing the modified form of doubler shown in Fig. 5, together with an arch sup- Polt;

Fig. 7 is a bottom'plan view of the shoe, prior to placement thereon of the oulter sole, and showing parts of the shoe bottom as broken away to illustrate other parts which would otherwise be hidden.

Like reference characters designate the same parts wherever they occur in all the figures.

In practising the method in this invention, I first provide a connected innersole and middle solel or doubler, and apply them to the bottom of the last, withthe inner-sole next to the last The result of these steps is shown in Fig. l where a represents the last, b re resents the innersole, and c represents the oubler or middle sole. The innersole conforms approximately in outlines and dimensions toward projection in the heelpart as well, al-r though it is not a departure from the invention to have the fore part only of the doubler thus proJect, in which case the shoe upper at the heel part would be turned inward rather than outward. The means for attaching the innersole and doubler together oonsist preferably of stitches e which may be formed of thread vby a. `sewing machine, or

may be of o'ther construction' formed and placed by other means. Such stitches are laid in the channel d whereby they are coveredv by the upper flap. of the channel and do not extend to that surface of the innersole which comes inside the shoe. The combined innersole and `doubler are temporarily secured to the last bottom in ways already known or practised in the shoe making art, or in any other suitable-Way. l

The upper, consisting of the u per leather or other outer integument f and) a lining of textile fabric or other suitable maternal, is placedfon the last and pulled and stretched about the same as r uired to give it the desired smooth lasted s ape. But before lasting the upper, the lower channel flap of the upper and the extension edge part of the doubler are bent outward, substantially yas shown in Fig. 2, although whether to a greater or less degree than as there shown 1s immaterial. This turning back of the chan` nel flap and doubler may be performed before or after the combined inner'sole and doubler structure have been attached to the last. rlhe edge of the lining f is pulled ina sewed seam h paingl ll (lll

otherwise applied. Either typeof uniting means may be used alone, or both may be used together; or both may be omitted and reliance placed in the frictional grip of the two flaps to retain the lining in the channel after the outer flap and doubler have been laid down and the outer sole laid on and'secured. The turned back edges of the doubler and innersole are next laid and flattened down, as shown in Fig. 3, and the upper leather is pulled over and lasted, with its edge'part f turned out and laid on'the extension edge ofthe doubler.` The upper leather and doubler are connected together by stitches y' applied simultaneously with the lasting operation, or afterwards, if desired; and a welt stri of t e upper at the same time and secured by the same line of stitches y', if desired. Such welt strip serves as a reinforcementto hold the uniting stitches and gives a finished appearance to the shoe. It is not otherwise essential to the method or to the finished product. i.

Finally, the outer sole Z is laid on Ithe bottom of the shoe thus constructed and subjected to such levelingoperation as may be necessary or desired to conform it to the last bottom, and then is secured by stitches m passing through it and also through the doubler, the outturned edge of the upper leather, and the welt la.

The middle sole or doubler c, heretofore described, consists of a single piece of leather,

or other suitable material, continuous across itslength and breadth. 'An equivalent'structure may, however, be formed by a strip c as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, following the outline of the shoe bottom and having sutlicient width to extend both under the innersole far enough to be united thereto as de scribed, and also outward far enough for union with the outturned edge of the upper. Such strip may be originally straight, for which purpose ordinary Goodyear welting may be used, and bent into conformity with the outline of the shoe bottom, or it may be originally died out from suitable stock in a form more or less closely approximating such outline. Preferably, the space bounded` by the inner edge of this strip isoccupied by a iller piece n, or other filling material, such as is used in the manufacture of Goodyear welt shoes, the outer surface of which is approximately flush with the under surface of the doubler. The strip construction of doubler performs the same functions and acts in the same way as the one which is continuous from side to side of the shoe, and is equivalent thereto in all material respects. Hence the term doubler, and likewise the term middle sole, are used in this specification and in the following claims with a meaning wide enough to include both forms hereinabove described, except where a different 7c may be laid on the out-turned edgev meaning is clearly expressed by the context.

however, be located between the outer soleA and the doubler or the filler, or simply between theinner and outer soles if no filler is used. In any case, however, it lies between the inner and outer soles.

Shoes made according to this invention conform accurately to the shape of the last and comfortably embrace and confine the wearers foot, due to the fact that the lining is lasted inwardly and lsecured to the innersole. This construction also enables the shoe to conform more closely in shape and appear ance to welt shoes than has been possible heretofore in the manufacture of stitchdown shoes, and preserves its shape. As the lining .is tightly confined between the flaps of the channel and the innersole, it is retained even if not originally secured by Stitches or ad hesive, or if originally adhesively fastened and the adhesive has lost its strength. Then, owing to the union of the upper lining and innersole, and further to the union of the upper leather and doubler, which in turn is secured to the outer sole, the upper retains its previous form, without danger or even `possibility of change in the position of its edges when the outer sole is removed for the purpose of substituting a new one in making repairs.

The term upper leather has been used in the foregoing specification to designate the outer part or layer of the upper and distinguish it from the lining. As so used, it conforms to common practice, but for the purposes of this specification is not intended to indicate any necessary 'limitation as to the material of which the upper is made. That is, it would not be a departure from the present invention if a shoe made otherwise in accordance therewith should have an upper consisting partly or wholly of other material than leather.

The terms doubler and middle sole are used synonymously in this specification. The material of which such doubler -or middle sole is made may be anything having sulficient strength and durability to hold the upper in place prior to attachment of the outer sole, and during removal of the outer sole when repairs are made. It may be thin and inexpensive leather, or a substitute for leather, such as textile fabric, artificial leather, leather-board, etc.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A stitchdown shoe comprising an innersole and a doubler independently united to one another with the edge part'of the doubler foot, an upper lining having its edge turned inward and tucked into said channel, an upper having its edges turned out and attached to the doubler outside of the edges of the innersole, an outer solle, and independent means uniting said outer sole to the shoe condoubler. 3. A shoe comprising a channeled innerstructed as hereinbefore set forth.-

Sole, a doubler, fastening means uniting .said innersole and doubler together and located in said channel and outside of the surface ofthe innersole which comes neXt to the Wearers foot, an upper lining having its edge turned inward and tucked into said channel, an upper having its edges turned out and attached to the doubler outside of the edges of the innersole, an outer sole, independent means uniting said outer sole to the shoe constructed as hereinbefore set forth, and an arch support interposed between the inner and outer soles.

4. A shoe comprising an innersole, a

doubler formed of a strip followingthe out-v line' of said innersole, means securing said doubler to the innersole in a line following substantially the entire perimeter of the innersole at a relatively short distance inward from its edge, the stri doubler having sufficient widthl to exten from within the line of attaching means outward beyond the'edges of the innersole, an upper lininghaving its edges turned inward and secured to the edge portion of the innersole beneath the top surf face thereof, an upper having its edges turned outward and secured to the doubler outside of the edges of the innersole, and an outer sole lsecured to the shoe independently of the [Ill s l ll hu lll XL* i s 5. Av shoecomprisinv an innersole, a strip doubler secured to saidjinnersole adjacent to the edges thereof and projecting beyond such edges, an upper secured to said doubler, an

Outer sole secured to the doubler, and an arch support located between the inner and outer Soles in fthe space enclosed by the strip 6. The method Vof making stitchdown shoes which -consists in channeling an innersoleat its edges, uniting a doubler to said innersole and laying the uniting stitches in the charinel thereof, lasting anupper and an up er lining with placement of the lining in sai channel, la ing the channel flap against the edge part y o the lining so placed, turning out and stitching the edge part of the upper proper' to the doubler outside of the edges 0f the innersole,

`and applying an outer sole.

In testimony whereof I have aixed myA signature.

PERCYV W. VALENTINE. 

